Siobhan Vivian - The List

Rachel shakes her head in disgust. “She probably deals with that kind of crap every day.”

The girls watch Jennifer pick at her sandwich. Two younger boys, obviously freshmen, pass behind her as they carry their trays to the wash line. As they do, they point Jennifer out to friends across the cafeteria and make gagging faces. Jennifer is oblivious to it.

Rachel throws down her fry. “That’s it. I’m going to ask Jennifer if she wants to sit with us today.”

Margo reaches out to stop Rachel from getting up. “Come on. No.”

Rachel stares down the two freshmen boys as they walk back to their table. “I don’t like those little turds thinking they can make fun of Jennifer because she’s on the list. Don’t they have any respect for the fact that she’s a senior? If she’s with us, they wouldn’t dare say anything.”

Margo sighs. “No one cares about hanging out with us that much.” But she knows that isn’t true. Especially when it comes to Jennifer.

“Huh. Easy for the prettiest senior girl to say.”

“Shut up, Rachel. You’ve been on the list, too. Both of you. It’s not a big deal.”

Dana cocks her head. “Yeah, but you’re the one who’ll get to be homecoming queen.”

“That’s not a guarantee,” Margo says, even though it basically is. “And anyway, I don’t care about being homecoming queen.” Sure, it will be nice. But if Margo hadn’t made the list this morning, if it had been Rachel or Dana instead, she’d have been fine with it.

Rachel pats Margo on the back. “Inviting Jennifer to hang out for half a lunch period isn’t going to kill you.”

Margo pretends to concentrate on picking the lettuce out from her chicken wrap. It doesn’t surprise her how quickly the legs of Jennifer’s chair squeak against the floor.

“Hey, Jennifer,” Dana says, sliding over so Jennifer can sit.

“Hi,” Jennifer says. “I like your shirt, Dana. It’s so cute.”

Dana grins down at her front. “Oh, thanks.”

It’s quiet for a second. Margo glances over and sees Jennifer staring at her. “Hi, Margo,” Jennifer says, all bright and cheerful. “Congratulations on … you know.”

“Thanks.”

Rachel drums her nails against the table. “So, Jennifer. We wanted to tell you that we’re sorry that you’re on the list again this year.”

Jennifer shakes her head, like it’s nothing. “Honestly, I’m used to it by now.”

“Yeah, but you shouldn’t have to get used to something like that,” Dana says, pursing her lips. “Whoever made the list this year is a total sadist.”

Margo thinks back to when senior year had just started. Dana got assigned a seat behind Jennifer in French II, and she complained every day for a week about the fat rolls on the back of Jennifer’s neck. Whenever Jennifer looked down at her textbook, the folds of skin would smooth out, and when she’d look up, they’d squeeze together, like a disgusting human accordion.

It annoys her how easily Dana can forget the past.

But it also makes Margo jealous. Because she can’t.

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